Hello hive mind! So, my group is finishing up Lost Mines of Phandelver right now and I'm looking at what to run next. Last time I did this, I ran Storm King's Thunder and it just wasn't fun for me. I want to run Out of the Abyss or Strahd I think, but I want to know how they run with a mix of players. I have new and experienced players, as well as players that don't RP much and some that get super into it. I'm just wondering how those two campaigns fair in groups like that, since I've never run either module. Any input is greatly appreciated.
Maybe create a home brew world? Get away from the books perhaps? Been a dm for almost 5 years now. That's not a lot. Yet I've never run a module or book or whatever. All made up. So maybe it's time for you to create and have fun in your own world?
I'd do Strahd. Have a Session Zero and talk it over, but it's got a lot of RP opportunities for those who like them and I lot of fights for those who don't.
Out of the abyss is possibly my fav published campaign but is a lot of work and effort. The players start imprisoned with I think 8 NPC prisoners and then drow prison guards. Really to get the most from these early sessions you need to roleplay them through, the prisoners have information to share as do the guards.
Once out in the under dark the characters may well, depending how the prison break goes, have no equipment. This can be tough for experience players let alone new. At this point it becomes a little dungeon crawley (although moving through the caverns of the under dark) before then getting to more roleplay areas later on.
Strahd is very RP heavy and even when there is combat, many times the best approach is not to fight. It relies a lot on how your players can manuever around a very inhospitable place. Most NPCs are not friendly and those who are, are very paranoid, which requires the players to RP their way around them. If you have players not into RP, I feel that they might feel left out and not have much fun. - Not saying that is not a good adventure, the story is good and the book is really well laid down for the GM, the sandbox approach works wonders for this adventure.
Out of The Abyss seems like a better option, as it is more action oriented and more straighforward than CoS, but Out of The Abyss is very GM taxing. IMO the book is kinda of a mess. The first chapter suffer from overloading the GM with NPCs and later chapters need a lot of legwork around it - some GMs like the freedom to build around the adventures, but others might feel that the book should offer things a little bit easier.
Others that might be interesting - that I feel are less taxing on the GM, but have the same Pros as Out of The Abyss - are Tomb of Anihilation and Rime of the Frostmaiden. Both are a little deadly though.
You could also try dungeon of the mad mage- that's lev 5 if your players want to continue with their characters.
I did this once. The transition from the narrative-based LMoP to the more nebulous DotMM was difficult. Both modules are excellent, but much different in design. I suggest that this might be more difficult than it seems.
I hadn't thought about Frost Maiden. I'm giving it a glance now, but do you think the first chapter can be easily skipped, since they'll be pretty over leveled for it?
Wait a damn minute, the adventure ends with the option to SUMMON A TARRASQUE!!???!?!?!?! Well, this is happening and is rolling right into the homebrew I'm gonna write for after this module.
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Hello hive mind! So, my group is finishing up Lost Mines of Phandelver right now and I'm looking at what to run next. Last time I did this, I ran Storm King's Thunder and it just wasn't fun for me. I want to run Out of the Abyss or Strahd I think, but I want to know how they run with a mix of players. I have new and experienced players, as well as players that don't RP much and some that get super into it. I'm just wondering how those two campaigns fair in groups like that, since I've never run either module. Any input is greatly appreciated.
Maybe create a home brew world? Get away from the books perhaps? Been a dm for almost 5 years now. That's not a lot. Yet I've never run a module or book or whatever. All made up. So maybe it's time for you to create and have fun in your own world?
I'd do Strahd. Have a Session Zero and talk it over, but it's got a lot of RP opportunities for those who like them and I lot of fights for those who don't.
You could also try dungeon of the mad mage- that's lev 5 if your players want to continue with their characters.
Only spilt the party if you see something shiny.
Ariendela Sneakerson, Half-elf Rogue (8); Harmony Wolfsbane, Tiefling Bard (10); Agnomally, Gnomish Sorcerer (3); Breeze, Tabaxi Monk (8); Grace, Dragonborn Barbarian (7); DM, Homebrew- The Sequestered Lands/Underwater Explorers; Candlekeep
Out of the abyss is possibly my fav published campaign but is a lot of work and effort. The players start imprisoned with I think 8 NPC prisoners and then drow prison guards. Really to get the most from these early sessions you need to roleplay them through, the prisoners have information to share as do the guards.
Once out in the under dark the characters may well, depending how the prison break goes, have no equipment. This can be tough for experience players let alone new. At this point it becomes a little dungeon crawley (although moving through the caverns of the under dark) before then getting to more roleplay areas later on.
If running it I suggest you use
https://www.elventower.com/out-of-the-abyss-guide/
I found this a real help the first time.
Strahd is very RP heavy and even when there is combat, many times the best approach is not to fight. It relies a lot on how your players can manuever around a very inhospitable place. Most NPCs are not friendly and those who are, are very paranoid, which requires the players to RP their way around them. If you have players not into RP, I feel that they might feel left out and not have much fun. - Not saying that is not a good adventure, the story is good and the book is really well laid down for the GM, the sandbox approach works wonders for this adventure.
Out of The Abyss seems like a better option, as it is more action oriented and more straighforward than CoS, but Out of The Abyss is very GM taxing. IMO the book is kinda of a mess. The first chapter suffer from overloading the GM with NPCs and later chapters need a lot of legwork around it - some GMs like the freedom to build around the adventures, but others might feel that the book should offer things a little bit easier.
Others that might be interesting - that I feel are less taxing on the GM, but have the same Pros as Out of The Abyss - are Tomb of Anihilation and Rime of the Frostmaiden. Both are a little deadly though.
Good luck ^^
I did this once. The transition from the narrative-based LMoP to the more nebulous DotMM was difficult. Both modules are excellent, but much different in design. I suggest that this might be more difficult than it seems.
I hadn't thought about Frost Maiden. I'm giving it a glance now, but do you think the first chapter can be easily skipped, since they'll be pretty over leveled for it?
Never mind, I read it better and I answered my own question.
Wait a damn minute, the adventure ends with the option to SUMMON A TARRASQUE!!???!?!?!?! Well, this is happening and is rolling right into the homebrew I'm gonna write for after this module.